


Enough yellow cars, your majesty?

by ajay_lotte



Series: The Yellow Car Initiative [8]
Category: Daredevil (Comics), Daredevil (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Asgard (Marvel), Attempt at Humor, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hiding, M/M, Matt Murdock Needs a Hug, Matt Murdock is Worthy, Royalty, yellow car game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26758903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ajay_lotte/pseuds/ajay_lotte
Summary: In which Tony is on vacation, the Punisher takes Red to a multi-storey parking lot, and Matt Murdock becomes King of New Asgard.
Relationships: Frank Castle/Matt Murdock, Matt Murdock & Natasha Romanov
Series: The Yellow Car Initiative [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883668
Comments: 9
Kudos: 221





	Enough yellow cars, your majesty?

**Author's Note:**

> Soo, here we are again. Writing when I should try to sleep because I have to wake up early ugh  
> Marvel owns all these characters and shit, this is just a fanfiction because I suck, I'm bored, and think Matt is worthy. Bite me  
> Warnings: swearing, blink and miss disassociation, a hint to Matt's depression too  
> I try to keep these short fics light but I don't want mental health to go disregarded when it's so important  
> Hopefully the balance in this isn't too bad or out of place, let me know what you think if you want to?  
> Also, thanks to everyone reading- those emails always brighten my day  
> Hope this can brighten yours, Lotte :)

Matt isn’t stupid- he knows Clint and Natasha are both spies, therefore it wouldn’t take them too long to spot the similarities between Daredevil and himself. He also knows the other heroes aren’t dumb, and Matt would really like to keep his secret identity intact for the time being. That’s why Matt Murdock, Avocado at Law, keeps himself away from the group at all costs.

Except from that case he took against Tony Stark that one time.

Stark was being sued for unnecessary property damage. The case was bought to Nelson, Murdock, and Page only a couple of days after Tony had blown a mission Coulson had send Matt on in Nebraska.

Matt was feeling petty.

Unfortunately, winning the case did get them noticed a lot in the media and resulted in Stark constantly trying to buy their firm. So now Tony is trying to hire Matt as two different people and it’s becoming a whole thing.

But besides from that, Matt is adamant about keeping himself away from anything Avenger related whatsoever when out of uniform.

Which is why Matt is currently hiding behind the counter in their local coffee shop.

“So, who are you hiding from Mr Murdock?” The barista, Alyssa, asks him after she has finished serving a confused customer. Matt knows that isn’t the question she really wants to ask, considering the elephant in the room. The one which has got everyone in here talking.

“Mainly Brett.” Matt answers honestly. “He wants to lecture me about the cigars again.” Alyssa nods.

“Right, right… ok. But about the…”

“I didn’t think I’d have to mention that. Alyssa:” he says, whispering, “the Avengers cannot know I am here.”

“Got it. I’m going to stop talking to you then.”

“Thank you.”

Because Matt wasn’t planning on being part of an Avenger level incident today, he didn’t go to work wearing his new FRIDAY sunglasses either and can’t check with the AI that Tony can’t see him coming in here on any security cameras. Though, Matt trusts Friday to help him out completely and that she won’t lead any of the Avengers here. Besides, Tony’s on vacation with Pepper.

But his trust doesn’t last long because soon Captain America is walking along the pavement outside and heading straight for the café. He opens the door and walks up to the desk. Matt holds his breath. “Hi, I’m looking for a man. About 5’10, brown hair, wearing a suit, carries a white cane. A witness has said to have seen someone of the description enter this coffee shop.” Steve says, and Alyssa’s heart speeds up.

“Red glasses?” She asks. Steve nods. “He comes in regularly, but I haven’t seen him today. Sorry.”

“Regularly?” Steve doesn’t give up. “So you know him by name?”

“No.” Alyssa says, and all three know that’s a lie. She takes names to write on the cups. “I always take his friend’s name. Foggy.” It was a successful coverup, but still a dangerous one. At least Foggy isn’t his friend’s real name.

“Ok, thank you for your help… Alyssa.” Steve says, and Matt imagines him giving that grin that always makes Karen’s and Foggy’s hearts do weird flips when they watch him on TV. Mainly because Alyssa’s is doing the same thing right now. Alyssa starts to speak, but Matt’s still paying attention to the Avenger outside. “Natasha? Clint? I think we have a lead. Alyssa, a girl in a coffee shop, is hiding something. I’ll send you the address. And apparently he has a friend called Foggy.”

Natasha hums, and her voice is all broken up signals. They’re communicating over comms. “That won’t help us alone. Clint’s just getting weather related results. We don’t have a clear picture of his face to scan on any recognition software. And according to our description, there are hundreds of people who match it in New York.”

Matt smirks.

“According to Alyssa, he wears red sunglasses.”

“Jackpot!” Clint yells.

The smirk vanishes.

“Matthew Murdock and Franklin Nelson- Attorneys at law.”

“Hey, Mr Murdock? Matt? Hello?” Alyssa’s saying.

“Sorry.” Matt stands up, looks at the object in his hand, and curses. “Can I leave through the back?” Alyssa leads him through, Matt thanks her, and takes out his phone. He rings Foggy. Twice. Three times before he answers. “Foggy, whatever you do, do not go to the office. Do not go home. Stay out today.”

“Buddy? Is everything ok?”

“Yes. Where are you?”

“At brunch with Marci. Matty, what’s happening?” Matt hesitates. “Don’t lie to me, buddy. What’s going on?”

“I’m being tracked down by the Avengers and Mahoney. They now know my name and yours, and that we’re lawyers.”

“Do they know that you’re…?”

“Not yet.” And Matt hangs up. He rings Frank. “I need your help, Frank.”

“I’m busy, Red. What do you need?”

“A way out. I’m at Alyssa’s.” He replies, loving the connotations of the groan he receives in response.

“I’m just about to drive past.”

“I’m around the back.” He hangs up, and it’s barely been two minutes when a car passes, the window down and Frank yells out:

“What the fuck?!” Matt grins. “No seriously, Red. What the fuck?”

“Can I get in or not?” Frank leans across and the passenger door swings open, so Matt walks around to the other side and climbs in. “Now drive.” Matt takes off his glasses.

Frank’s heart speeds up.

“If you have any other sunglasses, I can put them on.” Red says, because trust him to read the situation wrong.

“I do. You don’t have to wear them if you don’t want to.” Red doesn’t say anything to that, just fiddles with the strap… this time not on his cane. “They’re in the glove compartment. You already know this.” He nods, despite it not being a question. “Plug in.”

Matt’s phone starts ringing, reciting an unknown number. Matt reaches forwards and puts on the offered sunglasses. Frank’s heart does a flip, and Matt feels slightly disappointed at the break in its usual steady rhythm. It doesn’t stop ringing.

“Answer it then.”

“Hello? How can I help you?” Matt answers the phone.

“The more accurate question would be ‘how can I help the Avengers to stop them from ruining your vacation?’” And that’s Stark’s voice. Matt knows he has Daredevil’s number, but that doesn’t solve the mystery of how he got his and is ringing from a phone with no user ID.

“Ah… I’m sorry?” Matt asks, and proceeds to mouth ‘It’s Stark’ to Frank who snorts next to him. Matt smirks.

“You know Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye?”

“Mr Stark, it’d be hard not to. But I feel a lot more of your friends could feel offended to be left off your list.”

“You’re probably right!” He says. “But they’re not involved right now, and I don’t think you want them to be.”

“Maybe I’m not so confident, but I’m sure Foggy would love to meet the Avengers. Can I ask what this is about?”

“’Can I ask what this is about?!’ No! You know fully well what this is about! And it’s something to do with the fact that Loki is chatting up my fiancée claiming to be delivering a message from his brother.” Ah, so Loki is responsible for the weird number scenario.

“Thor?”

“No; Zeus!”

“Mr Stark…”

“Before you tell me Zeus is a Greek god, I know. Loki and Thor are Norse gods.”

“Demigods.”

Tony sighs, and Matt grins. “Ok. But they have both also been King. Now, they serve their King, who hasn’t yet met their people.”

Matt sighs. “Look, Mr Stark, the quarrel about who should take the thrown of New Asgard isn’t a secret, but I can’t say I’ve been following the story entirely and I should let you know, even though it is your vacation, my Saturdays are pretty busy.” Frank raises his eyebrow at Red, who doesn’t pick up on it- surprise- but they both know he’s lying. Red literally spends his Saturdays trying to find someone to annoy. “So, if you don’t mind, I’d…”

And shit. Matt wasn’t counting. “Red, we’ve got a problem.” Frank whispers, and Matt cocks his head. Black Widow is following them, close behind on her bike. “I’m not taking her to a safe house.”

“I’d really like to get going.”

“Of course. Sorry to bother you, Mr Murdock.” And Tony hangs up.

“Fucking smartass!” Matt throws his phone to the floor, then promptly gives up and rests his head on the dashboard. Matt should’ve remembered to time the call, should’ve realised Tony was tracking him. Instead, he was too busy enjoying himself. Stick would have his head.

Frank waits for a second. “Red, it’s ok.”

“No; it’s not. And now you’re in this mess too.” He doesn’t lift his head. “I should have known. I shouldn’t have been tempted, either. I was weak.”

“Don’t break down on me now, Red. I know I’ve met Black Widow before, but I also know that was an exception for making your new suit. I’m still a criminal, Red, and I’m not being taken in for this. Now, hit me for that fucking yellow car and tell me what to do.”

Matt sits up again, hesitates, then hits Frank. “Yellow car.”

“You ok?”

There’s a deep sigh. “Yeah; yeah, I’m fine.” Once again, it’s a lie that they both know about but can’t do anything with, not right now. “Ok, the next left. Then right after that.” Frank follows the instructions. “There’s a long row of traffic up ahead- lights possibly. We’re going to join it, and Nat will keep going to interrupt us. We’ll switch lanes suddenly at the wrong place in the junction and turn off, losing her for hopefully two minutes as she has to follow the one-way route.”

“And if she sticks on our tail?”

“She won’t. She wants to let us think we have the upper hand. Go right here.” And sure enough, they join the traffic, and the Black Widow continues on. A car behind them blocks their path out.

Matt cocks his head. “I’ve got him trapped, with an unidentified individual. Clint, can you trace the plate?” He can’t hear Clint’s reply, but it’s obvious he’s going to give it a shot.

“Whose car is this?” He asks.

Frank hesitates. “Wade’s.”

“Wade can drive?”

“No.”

Matt opens his mouth to respond, but promptly shuts it again. It isn’t worth questioning. As planned, Frank switches lane, causing chaos behind them and a frustrated Black Widow who notices belatedly and curses. “Clint, I’m rerouting. Any luck on that plate?” There’s a pause. “Fuck.” A longer pause. “He’s met Daredevil? Ok, I’ll ring Red.”

‘Nat. Nat. Nat.’

“Miss Romanov.” He growls into the phone.

“Hey, Red. You live in the Kitchen; you know Mr Murdock? We know you have links with the firm before you lie.”

“I met him once.”

“Any idea how he knows Wade Wilson?”

“He knows Wilson?” Matt growls, Natasha hums, Frank stifles his laugh and steps on the gas, following Matt’s silent directions to out drive the spy. “He’s a lawyer.”

“Maybe he’s Wilson’s lawyer.” Daredevil snorts. “You think he wouldn’t be?”

“I met him once. What’s your business with him anyway?”

“He’s stolen something.”

Daredevil pretends to be sceptical. Because in this situation anyone would be. “Really?”

“It’s complicated.”

“No shit.” Frank says, a little too loudly. They both look at each other and panic.

“You’re not alone, Red?” She asks.

Matt growls. “It’s Saturday morning. I’m a vampire. What do you expect?” Frank’s heart speeds up a little, and Matt grins.

“I don’t need to know about your sex live, Red. But it sounds like your partner has an idea of what I’m talking about. Want to put them on the line?”

“Not really.”

“It’s Castle, isn’t it?” She asks, and Matt points into an alley way where the road ends but there’s a path just wide enough to drive down to join a connecting road.

“Now what makes you say that?”

“It would explain why Mr Murdock is in a car with Wilson right now. Maybe you three are helping him out somehow.” There’s a pause. “Does he even know who he’s in a car with?” Daredevil keeps his mouth shut. “I’ll call you back.” She hangs up, but she’s close enough to hear still, if Matt concentrates. “Guys, it’s uncertain whether Murdock knows that he’s in a car with Deadpool right now.”

“What?!” Clint replies loud enough for Matt to hear- he wonders how often Nat’s at risk of going deaf. Nat’s silent for a bit, probably listening, and then she says:

“You’re right, that man can’t keep his mouth shut for love nor money. But Deadpool is still dangerous, and with Red and Castle being involved, this can’t be good.

Nat doesn’t ring back.

Not before losing them and cursing. She even slams her fists on the steering wheel. Matt smirks.

“So Red, what’s your plan?”

“If Nat sees you driving Wade’s car, she’ll figure out my identity.” Matt sighs. “What was you’re plan before you picked me up?”

“Maintenance repairs.” Frank sighs this time. “Let’s just go there. I can’t afford to lose the job, we can ditch the car, it’s a totally random destination.” So they do.

Frank knocks on the door, and Red stands innocently beside him. The man opens his door, greets them both, then does a double take. “What the fuck?”

“This is Matt Murdock.” Frank introduces. “He’s a lawyer. That’s not important, really though.”

“That’s Thor’s hammer!” The man exclaims.

“It’s a replica.” Matt says. “Do you mind if I accompany Mr Castiglione? He’s trying to teach me some DIY. Apparently, I should be able to fix my air conditioning alone.”

“Sure you can come in, it’s the toilet that’s broken not the… that’s not a replica.”

Matt doesn’t know what to do. So he just stands, in the doorway of a stranger’s house, with Frank Castle and holding Thor’s hammer. ‘Nat. Nat. Nat.’ And the assassin couldn’t have chosen a better time to call back? “Natasha Romanoff?!”

“No.” Matt says.

“If you wouldn’t mind letting us in?” Frank asks, and the man steps aside, letting the them in as Matt answers the phone.

“What’s your game, Red?” Matt steps back as the stranger leads Frank through to the toilet.

“I have practice with avoiding the Avengers. Mr Murdock doesn’t. I can help give him space from a bunch of lunatic stalkers.” Natasha doesn’t answer for a moment, and then swears lightly under her breath.

“You think we’re stalking him?” Daredevil doesn’t justify that with an answer. “I’m trusting you, Red. He’s worthy enough to hold the hammer, I doubt he’s going to do anything rash. I’ll call the others off.” Natasha decides. “Thank you for covering, though, and thank Wade and Castle for me. I’ll see you around, Red.”

“What- no curfew?”

“When Thor stops crying like a baby, I’ll give you a call.”

“Bye, Nat.” Matt hangs up. He pockets his phone before leaning against the wall and pinching the bridge of his nose. His glasses fall down a little, but not enough to annoy him.

Suddenly Frank is at his side. “Ready to go?”

“What?”

“I asked if you were ready to go?” He repeats, and Matt nods, but doesn’t step forward. Frank offers his arm, and after exhaling a shaky breath, he takes it.

“You’ve, uh, you’ve already fixed the toilet?”

“Yeah.” Frank furrows his brows and asks: “why; how long did it take?”

“Fifteen minutes maybe? If Karen knew you were that quick, I’m sure she would have made me higher you to fix the air conditioning much sooner.” Frank’s smart. He doesn’t tell Red he was in there for over an hour. Instead he chuckles slightly, and says:

“I’m sure she would. I assume you sorted it with the Avengers?”

He nods. “Yeah, they’re letting you, Deadpool and Daredevil watch over me for the day.” Frank snorts. “I don’t know what to do, Frank.”

“Come with me.” They don’t talk during the short walk to the car, or the car journey to what sounds like a really tall building, but it’s less like a skyscraper- more square than rectangular. Some of it is underground too. “I thought you might like the practice.” Matt cocks his head. When they drive in, it’s obvious. It’s a parking lot. And Frank takes them all the way down to the bottom floor and parks in the far corner.

“Practice?” Matt asks, and Frank hums in confirmation.

“Come on, Red. Where’s your head always at?” Matt doesn’t answer that. It’s a dangerous question. “We’re going to play the yellow car game.” Red lights up like a puppy on seeing the return of its owner. He gets out of the car, all jittery and smiley, leaving his cane in the car. “Bring the hammer.” Franks says, and almost ruins the mood. But the blind man picks it up and holds it so that it hangs from the strap.

“Can I take your elbow?”

“Of course.” Frank locks the car and walks around to Matt’s side, and as soon as Matt’s gripping on, possibly a little tighter than necessary, Frank loops an arm around the lawyer’s shoulders.

They start walking strategically, and Frank makes sure to pay attention to the cars surrounding him. He categorises each into a file of unimportance, and some which are attractive enough to remember for the hypothetical ‘when he’s a billionaire like Stark’. But then he sees one. A yellow Hyundai. “Yellow Car.” He nudges Red slightly, and the man furrows his brows.

Frank quickly switches his attention back to the cars. If he focuses on anything else, it’ll ruin whatever Red’s reading. He knows it must be something. They walk up two more floors before Frank sees another one. “Yellow car.” He nudges the man again. “And again.” He hits him a third time, and Matt smiles slightly. “What?” He just shakes his head.

There’re a few more yellow cars from Frank, and several incorrect guesses from Matt, until on the fifth level, Red says “yellow car” just as Frank was opening his mouth to say it. “You got it.”

Red grins, and he jumps slightly is his step. Frank tries to stop the smile creeping onto his face and shakes his head, looking down at the ground. “Yellow car!” He goes again and hits Frank, jumping at the confirmation of it being right. But soon they reach the top floor and run out of cars.

“Let’s sit down.” Frank says, gesturing to the edge of the parking lot. Red hesitates. “Promise we won’t stop playing.”

“Ok.” They sit on the edge. Like children, they swing their legs back and forth. “Frank, I’m King of Asgard.”

Frank hums. “Enough yellow cars, your majesty?” Red throws his head back with a laugh.

“Plenty, thank you.” He brings the hammer to his lap, fiddles faster with the strap. “I don’t want to be a king. I like being a lawyer.”

“And a vigilante.”

“And a secret agent.”

“You’re a secret agent?” Matt hums. “Well, I’ve fallen behind on your life. I don’t think it’s being a king that bothers you. Not completely.”

“I don’t deserve to be king. I don’t deserve to be holding this hammer.”

“That’s not up for you to decide, Red. You’ve been deemed worthy.”

“I beat up people every night.”

“Thor killed Thanos.”

“And now I have his hammer.”

“Red,” Frank sighs and puts his hand on Red’s to stop him from moving so much, “I don’t know much about you, but I take it your childhood wasn’t kind.” Matt opens his mouth to speak. “I’m not done. Even with a tragic backstory you make a point to help everyone, both at night and day, rarely expecting payment, and not many people would do that.”

“I hurt people, Frank, probably more than they deserve sometimes.”

“Maybe.” He says. “Your anger issues rival the Hulk’s, let’s face it. But it’s what you do with that anger God gave you or whatever. You use your power to help those who need it, and you have never gone that step too far. You always give people a chance at redemption. If I was as angry, or unfortunate… or even as pained as you, I certainly couldn’t be as kind.” Matt doesn’t answer. “So, in all honesty, I think you deserve it, Red. You give and give- let someone give back to you.”

Murdock open and closes his mouth a few times, never saying anything, and minutes pass before he just rests his head on Frank’s shoulder. “Thank you, Frank.”

“No worries, Red.” They sit, not moving for probably about half an hour before something clicks in Frank’s brain. But Red notices Frank’s reaction before the man himself.

“Yellow car.” He hits him. Frank exhales a humorous huff of air through his nose.

“Fair play, Red. Fair play.”

With that they stand to their feet, and Frank drives Matt to the Avengers Facility Unit where the Avengers and a large camera crew are waiting. “This is where I leave you.”

“Thank you for today Frank.”

“Hopefully you’ll be a little better next time we play.”

“Maybe.” He steps out of the car, cane in one hand, hammer in the other, and cocks his head to the side as Frank drives off. He was so busy focusing on Frank that he doesn’t notice Captain America walking towards him until the super soldier clears his throat.

“Mr Murdock?”

“Uh, yes? Hi.”

“Hi, I’m Captain America. I believe you have something that belongs to a friend of mine.”

Matt chuckles. “Yes, I believe I do.”

Mr Murdock, attorney at law, spends his Sunday hiding at church.

On Monday Karen and Foggy burst into his office simultaneously. They’re out of breath, Matt notes, and their cheeks are hot. “We went all the way to your apartment, Murdock.” Karen states. “Why didn’t you call us?!”

“Do you know how many people have been asking me that? Also, I did ring Foggy.”

“Yeah, and almost gave me a heart attack Buddy! I was certain this was going to mark the end of Nelson, Murdock, and Page. But no. Instead I find out from my girlfriend that my best friend is now King of Asgard!”

“I’m not really king.” Matt says, and Foggy scoffs.

“Latest update on the council is that Thor, Loki and Valkyrie will rule together but you have the ultimate say when a decision cannot be reached. Sounds like the role of a king to me, Matt. How did you get the hammer anyways?”

Matt sighs. “Ages ago, Odin cast Thor down to Earth with his hammer to be lifted only by the person worthy enough. To decide on who should rule Asgard, someone enchanted the hammer in a similar way. Valkyrie wanted to avoid lifting it, but people were saying she should, just to prove her self-worth. And then Thor and Loki were competing as always and were trying to kill each other or something just to see who could lift it first.”

“So, you were involved in this how?”

Matt blushes. “My cane didn’t find it and I tripped over it on my way out of the supermarket.”

Karen snorts. “And what, you just picked it up?” There’s a long pause.

Matt nods.

His friends burst out laughing, and they don’t stop. Not until Foggy seems to remember something. “Oh, Matty? While I remember- I spoke to Brett this morning. He says he’s been looking for you.”

Matt stands from his chair. “Where are you going?” Karen asks.

“Alyssa’s.”


End file.
